'Confident' Triantis earns first Australia call-up
Hibs midfielder Nectarios Triantis has been rewarded for his impressive club form with a first senior Australia call-up.The 21-year-old - on loan from Sunderland - has been a key figure for David Gray's side this season, scoring three goals and contributing five assists in 25 league appearances.Despite a difficult start to the campaign, Hibs are on a 13-match unbeaten run in the Premiership, featuring wins over league leaders Celtic and Edinburgh rivals Hearts, with Triantis coming to the fore.He has previously represented his country at age-group level, but could now win a first senior cap in World Cup qualifiers against Indonesia and China later this month."In October and November he was playing games, but a little bit raw," Socceroos head coach Tony Popovic said. "He's developed confidence, playing really well and they are on an unbelievable run. I saw him play live against Celtic, he set up a wonderful goal, played well and he looks confident. "I look forward to seeing him in camp and seeing what he can do."Triantis will have at least two familiar figures to lean on while away with Australia, with Hibs team-mates Martin Boyle and Lewis Miller also selected.
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The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
Tottenham clear decks for Thomas Frank as Spurs sack THREE of Ange Postecoglou's coaching team hours after boss axed
TOTTENHAM have sacked three members of Ange Postecoglou's coaching staff following the Aussie manager's dismissal yesterday. Postecoglou was relieved of his duties in North London yesterday despite leading Spurs to a first trophy in over 17 years this season. 5 5 5 The 59-year-old said his "overriding emotion is one of pride" following his dismissal, while Spurs claimed the decision to sack the former Celtic boss was one the "toughest" the board has had to make. Now the search for a new manager is underway and Spurs are already clearing the decks for their number one target - Brentford gaffer Thomas Frank. The Telegraph have revealed that Postecoglou's assistants Nick Montgomery, Sergio Raimundo and Mile Jedinak have all been axed too. However, senior assistant coach Matt Wells and goalkeeper coach Rob Burch have remained in their roles. Sporting director Johan Lange is leading the search for Spurs' new boss with Bees gaffer Frank, 51, thought to be the front-runner for the position. It's claimed that Frank is keen on taking the job at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and would want to bring members of his coaching staff along with him. Although the Dane is Spurs' preferred candidate, the club are reportedly "carefully assessing" their options with Fulham 's Marco Silva and Bournemouth 's Andoni Iraola also in the frame. It's widely understood that Spurs would have to fork out around £10m to release Frank from his current deal with Brentford, which runs until 2027. 5 5 Spurs have already had to splash the cash to get rid of Postecoglou, with the Aussie pocketing a rumoured £4m compensation fee on top of his £2m bonus for leading the club to Europa League glory. Sporting director Lange and Frank have history, with the pair coaching together at Danish club Lyngby and maintaining a good relationship since those days. Tottenham told fans in a statement that "news on the appointment of a new Head Coach will be announced in due course". Fans have hit back at Spurs for their decision to dismiss Postecoglou after winning the Europa League. While club is also facing a dressing room revolt with players more likely to leave after Postecoglou's exit, according to reports. But the Spurs hierarchy reiterated that they cannot base their decisions off their performance in just one competition. Their statement read: "Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the club's greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph. "It is crucial that we are able to compete on multiple fronts and believe a change of approach will give us the strongest chance for the coming season and beyond. "This has been one of the toughest decisions we have had to make and is not a decision that we have taken lightly, nor one we have rushed to conclude. "We have made what we believe is the right decision to give us the best chance of success going forward, not the easy decision." Ange Breaks Silence On Tottenham Sacking ANGE Postecoglou issued a statement just moments after being axed. It read: "When I reflect on my time as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, my overriding emotion is one of pride. "The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. "Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget. "That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. "There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible. "We have also laid the foundations that means this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. "I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them. I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. "I know there were some difficult times, but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on. "It's important to acknowledge the hard working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis. "And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. "A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special. 'We are forever connected. Audere est Facere.'
Telegraph
40 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Live Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks: Score and latest updates from Premiership semi-final
Latest updates 07 June 2025 3:03pm 3:03PM Ever-present 🦾 The #GallagherPrem Iron Man. Robert du Preez was the only player in the league to play every single minute of the season. An amazing effort from the @SaleSharksRugby 's centre 👏 — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) June 7, 2025 3:00PM Hosts' welcome Prowlin' 🐅 @vocohotels — Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 7, 2025 2:57PM Premiership team of the season Four Sale representatives and one from Leicester: Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers) Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby) Thomas du Toit (Bath Rugby) Maro Itoje (Saracens) Joe Batley (Bristol Bears) Ted Hill (Bath Rugby) Ben Curry (Sale Sharks) Tom Willis (Saracens) Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby) George Ford (Sale Sharks) Gabriel Ibitoye (Bristol Bears) Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears) Robert du Preez (Sale Sharks) Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks) Santi Carreras (Gloucester Rugby) 2:54PM Sale's secret weapon is their 'theme' for every match Pete Richardson is not as recognisable as George Ford or either of the Curry twins. Even die-hard Sale Sharks supporters are unlikely to have heard of him. Even if the stars align for his club over the coming fortnight, he probably will not receive an official Premiership winners' medal. But the 36-year-old has been a significant, if largely unsung, figure in Sale's route to the play-offs. He refines Alex Sanderson's 'brain farts' by creating a visual for the theme of each game. These have encompassed box-office movies, sporting icons and more original ideas. 2:50PM Michael Cheika speaking to TNT Sports "My desire to win has not changed." Can Michael Cheika lead @LeicesterTigers to glory before he departs in the summer? #GallagherPrem | #LEIvSAL — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) June 7, 2025 2:48PM Full list of award winners Gallagher Player of the Season: Tomos Williams (Gloucester) Breakthrough Player of the Season: Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints) Director of Rugby of the Season: Johann van Graan (Bath) Community Player of the Season: Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears) Gallagher Premiership Rugby Top Try Scorer: Ollie Hassell-Collins (Leicester Tigers) - 13 Gabriel Ibitoye (Bristol Bears) - 13 2:41PM Predictions from our experts Leicester Tigers 25 Sale 26 Michael Cheika has sparked a strong response from the Tigers, whose season appeared to be petering out after their loss to Saracens and an insipid performance up in Glasgow in the Champions Cup. Leicester's excellent second half against Sale, with Ollie Chessum immense, secured this home tie. Handré Pollard knows his way around knockout rounds and the Tigers wings, Ollie Hassell-Collins and Adam Radwan, have been brilliant. I just think Sharks can use their recent defeat as a sighter in a ferocious contest that will be shaped at the set-piece and on the gain-line. In my mind, Sale have enough toughness and a touch more subtlety. Which one of our writers think this will be the result today? Find out right here. 2:36PM Teams Leicester starting XV: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Solomone Kata, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Cameron Henderson, 5 Ollie Chessum, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Olly Cracknell. Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 James Cronin, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Matt Rogerson, 20 Emeka Ilione, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Izaia Perese. Sale starting XV: 15. Joe Carpenter, Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Rekeiti Ma'asi-White, 11. Arron Reed, 10. George Ford 9. Raffi Quirke, 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ernst van Rhyn, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Tom Curry, 7. Ben Curry (c), 8. JL du Preez. Replacements: 16. Tadgh McElroy, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Ben Bamber, 20. Dan du Preez, 21. Gus Warr, 22. Luke James, 23. Tom O'Flaherty. 2:30PM A place in the final awaits Welford Road hosts the second of the two Gallagher Premiership semi-finals as Leicester Tigers host Sale Sharks. Just three points separated these sides in the regular season, with Leicester finishing in second to earn this home semi-final despite Sale winning more games (12) than Leicester did (11). These sides met on this ground just a matter of weeks ago. Sale looked in control at half-time, leading 26-16 at the break, but a fightback from Leicester in the second half earned them a 44-34 win, proving pivotal in the race for a home semi-final. Leicester finished the regular season with a 42-20 home win over Newcastle last Saturday. It is going to be an emotional day for Leicester as a couple of club legends play their final home games at Welford Road. Dan Cole and Ben Youngs have announced their retirements at the end of this season. Former England full-back Mike Brown is also retiring, while Julian Montoya and Handre Pollard are moving to pastures new this summer. Their head coach Michael Cheika is also leaving his post but is focused on the task at hand. 'Finishing has nothing to do with it,' Cheika said. 'Being part of a team means what happens to the team is for everybody and not for any one individual. I certainly do not feel like that. When you are in a team, playing in a competition like this, and you are the leader as a coach, your ambition and hunger is to get to the top. The only interest for me is for this team to be successful.' Sale sealed their play-off berth with a 30-26 victory at Exeter last weekend to finish third. They won six of their seven Premiership games to reach the semi-finals, with their only loss coming at Leicester last month. Sale are aiming to reach the final for the second time in three seasons and their director of rugby Alex Sanderson knows his side will have to deliver an 80-minute performance today to book their place in the final next weekend. 'I am expecting a big battle,' Sanderson said. 'They [Leicester] prioritise a lot of the things that we do around physicality and set-piece and we know it is going to be a really tough game in front of a partisan crowd. We have been talking about how we manage our mentality through the ups and downs of the game. 'At this stage of the season it is about being better at the basics and simplifying what we do. The gainline battle and the collisions on both side of the ball are going to be key, as well as the set-piece. When we played a few weeks back we got them in the first half but they beat us up in the second. A 60-minute performance this week will not do, it is going to have to be 80. We have earned the privilege of feeling the pressure at this stage of the season. We know there is nothing after this if we do not get the job done so we are ready.' In the other semi-final last night, Bath beat Bristol 34-20 at The Rec to book their place in the final. Who will be joining Bath in the final at Allianz Stadium next weekend? Kick-off from Welford Road is at 3.30pm.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
France boss threatens to drop Premier League target amid £25m transfer talks
France face Germany in the Nations League third-place play-off on Sunday, with boss Didier Deschamps ready to take drastic action as Chelsea pursue one of his key players France head coach Didier Deschamps has threatened to drop Mike Maignan from his team for Sunday's Nations League game against Germany. Les Bleus will face the hosts in a third-place play-off. They lost a thrilling semi-final 5-4 to Spain on Thursday night, with Maignan starting between the sticks. He has emerged as France's first-choice keeper since Hugo Lloris retired after the 2022 World Cup. Maignan has impressed at club level as well, winning the Ligue 1 title with Lille in 2021 which earned him a move to AC Milan. The 29-year-old helped the Rossoneri to win the Serie A title in his first year at the club. He has since gone on to become captain of the Italian giants, but his future at the San Siro is in doubt. Chelsea have grown interested in signing the keeper as they look to replace David Sanchez. The Blues saw an opening offer below £15million rejected this week, with Milan demanding a fee in the region of £25m. A final bid is expected to be made in the coming days, though first comes France's clash with Germany. Amid the speculation around his future, his form has suffered a downturn. And that has led Deschamps to suggest that he could drop Maignan in favour of the uncapped Lucas Chevalier or former Nottingham Forest star Brice Samba on Sunday. "Changing goalkeepers? We'll see. We'll see how Mike is, how he feels. It's still possible. No decision has been made yet, it's been a while," Deschamps said ahead of the third-place play-off in Stuttgart. "Obviously, that could also be the case regarding the goalkeeper position. Whether Mike needs a break or not... I don't have those details yet." Thursday's defeat to Spain was a frustrating one, with France at one stage losing 4-0 before a late comeback. The loss raised the pressure on Deschamps after a difficult Euro 2024 campaign, and the boss has admitted that changes are coming for Sunday. "I won't hide from you that the interest is still relative. This match is there, we're going to play it... It's Germany. It will be useful, but taking into account the very specific situation," he added. "Is the match at stake minimal? You said so. Some players aren't in the best shape. We have too little time between the two matches. There will be a lot of changes. I work according to the players. "Some have very interesting potential. They won't all be able to play. I've never deprived myself of attacking players. We had a lot of chances against Spain, but we also conceded five goals. It's a question of balance. "They're mostly young players. I'm not going to complain about having a lot of attacking players. It needs confirmation. They won't all be able to play at the same time, but it's very interesting for me." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
